Semiconductor device reducing power consumption in standby mode

Abstract

A voltage supply control circuit is arranged between a true ground voltage and a pseudo ground line. In an active mode, first and second control signals are at the “H” and “L” levels, respectively. In response to this, a first switch is turned on so that a first node is electrically coupled to a power supply voltage, and attains the “H” level. Further, a second switch is turned on to couple electrically the ground voltage to a second node. In a standby mode, the first and second control signals are at the “L” and “H” levels, respectively. In response to this, a third switch is turned on to couple electrically the first and second nodes together. Since the power supply voltage was electrically coupled to the first node according to the turn-on of the first switch in the active mode, the path of the control signal including the first node to the switch has accumulated charged charges.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a semiconductor device. Particularly, the invention relates to a semiconductor device having a structure that interrupts electric connections of power and ground lines to logic circuits or the like in a standby mode, and is pertinent to a semiconductor device that can reduce power consumption in the standby mode.[0003]2. Description of the Background Art[0004]In recent years, degrees of integration as well as performance of semiconductor devices have been developing, and application ranges thereof have been increasing. With these situations, it has been technically required to reduce power consumption of semiconductor devices and semiconductor chip bodies. More specifically, it is required to increase a battery operation time of an internal battery in a data information device that includes a telephone, an electronic notebook and a small personal computer in an integrated fashion. In inf...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026]The invention has been made for overcoming the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a semiconductor device that can reduce power consumption.

[0028]The semiconductor device according to the invention includes the internal circuit forming the current path between the second voltage interconnection and the first voltage supply interconnection; and the first voltage supply control circuit capable of controlling the state of electrical conduction between the first voltage supply interconnection and the first voltage interconnection. The first voltage supply control circuit includes the first switch arranged between the first voltage supply interconnection and the first voltage interconnection, the second switch arranged between the third voltage interconnection and the control end of the first switch, and electrically coupling the third voltage interconnection to the control end of the first switch according to the instruction signal turning on the first switch, and the third switch electrically coupling the first voltage supply interconnection to the control end of the first switch according to the instruction signal attaining the off state of passing a smaller quantity of current through the first switch than the on state. When the first switch is turned on according to the instruction signal, the control end of the first switch is charged by a third voltage. When the first switch is turned off according to the instruction signal, the third switch electrically couples the first voltage supply interconnection to the control end of the first switch to discharge the charges. Thereby, the current path of the internal circuit arranged between the first and second voltage interconnections can reduce the quantity of charges pulled out from the second voltage interconnection, and thereby can reduce the power consumption. Since the third switch is connected to the first voltage interconnection through the first switch, a current interrupting effect of the first switch can reduce the leak current leaking to the first voltage interconnection via the third switch. Therefore, the leak current of the first voltage supply control circuit can be reduced, and the current consumption of the whole circuit can be reduced.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, the power consumption increases in transistors P2 and Q1.

Thus, stored information may be lost.

Consequently, the semiconductor device cannot be restored to the original state even when it enters an active mode after the standby period.

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